Ensalada de Elote y Pepino (Street Corn and Cucumber Salad)
Charred sweetcorn and crunchy cucumber tossed in creamy, limey elote sauce, a barbecue side that vanishes first.
Made with Elote sauce (street corn crema). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time20 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.75 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Pat the defrosted sweetcorn very dry. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat until just smoking.
- 2
Add the sweetcorn in a single layer and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring only now and then, until browned and charred in places. Tip into a large bowl to cool for 10 minutes.
7 min - 3
Add the cucumber, red onion, jalapeño and coriander to the cooled corn.
- 4
Fold in your ready made elote sauce (see the base recipe) and the lime juice.
- 5
Taste and add more lime if it needs brightness. Serve cool, scattered with a little extra coriander.
Tips
- Let the charred corn cool before adding the sauce, or the mayonnaise will turn oily.
- Deseed the cucumber so the salad does not water down the dressing.
- Add a pinch of chilli powder on top for colour and a little heat.
- Make it for a crowd by doubling the quantities, the sauce batch makes three of these.
Storing and freezing
Keeps in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 days, though the cucumber will release some water. Do not freeze.
Questions
Can I use tinned sweetcorn?
Yes. Drain it well and pat it very dry before charring. Tinned corn is softer, so give it a full 8 minutes in the hot pan.
Can I serve this as a taco topping?
Yes. It is excellent spooned over grilled fish or chicken tacos, or piled onto a tostada.
How spicy is it?
Mild. The jalapeño is deseeded and the sauce only has a little chilli powder. Leave the seeds in for more heat.
More made with elote sauce (street corn crema)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.